Kristopher Nolt, a spokesman for Lancaster Catholic High School, said his school and its six partner elementary schools received more than $887,000 from area businesses for next school year. The money, for which the contributors get a tax credit, goes to student tuition scholarships.

The schools celebrated the contributions in a rally at Lancaster Catholic High School on Monday afternoon.
Bishop Ronald W. Gainer, of the Harrisburg Diocese, said at the event that more than $3 million would go to Catholic school scholarships within his diocese next year through the state’s tax credit programs.

The Educational Improvement Tax Credit, which began in 2001, allows businesses to get tax credits for donations made to scholarship organizations or nonprofits that provide grants to schools.

The Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit program was created in 2012. It allows businesses to earn tax credits for contributing to scholarships for students at low-performing public schools to attend private schools or neighboring public schools.